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This is way too long a post for the reality of what happened.
So today, my boss called me up (while I was asleep) at 7-8 this morning. Hey, my co-worker J is sick, could I cover closing for her tonight? Yeah, yeah, alright, I'm not about to leave the closing crew in that kind of situation. Anybody who works in any kind of food place knows why. There's only two people who close the store, but the store can't be open with just one person running it, so if I hadn't come it, they would've had to close early and get in super-trouble. So, baristagirl to the rescue! (As I am the Warrior Barista, the other half of my job is to save TD in case of evil warlord attack.)
Quick re-cap for everybody who missed my Honeyman post: I work at popular coffee place X, hereon out to be referred to as TD (for reasons discussed in Honeyman).
You all know that when you're working and moving around, you get tired, uncomfortable, and frequently hot, so we generally keep our locations cool as far as the AC goes to keep baristas from dying. You might be freezing in the cafe but I swear to you, I am sweating behind the counter.
After co-worker boyC left, I was left working just with girlC. C and I get along well, and we've been getting along better and better the more we work together, which is good. I trust her judgement on things. So, when an elderly couple walk in, I listen to what she says about them under her breath to me, before they order anything. "The wife is really sweet, but the old man is a complete and total grouch."
The old woman orders a coffee, which we get for her, being as nice as we can, while the man waits in the cafe. She mentions it's a little cold in the place, so we turned it up a couple of degrees for her. She pays, is nice, (but leaves no tip,) and goes on her merry way. I serve another customer. The man seemingly waits in line, but begins to read a newspaper. When I'm done serving that customer, I wait patiently, smiling at the old man until he puts down the newspaper and walks out. Okay, fine, be that way, no big. I'd expected worse from him, so, small favors. But, clearly, this is not the end of my tale.
I proceed with a few minor cleaning errands and when I hear the door open again, I look up, and who is it but the old man. I meet him at the register with my trademark smile and ask him how I can help him today.
He enters into a rant. "I know you can't do anything about this, and I know it might not be your fault, but you really should talk to your manager, you're losing money, you're losing money through a business expense..." So he drags on for about a minute without really getting to a point.
I eventually try to speed him along. "What seems to be the problem? How are we 'losing money', exactly?"
"It's too cold in here. You're wasting money on air conditioning when it's too cold in here," at this point, C has come over to listen as well, as a line has formed behind him, "It's too cold in here, especially for us older folks. I have a condition that makes my fingers turn white when I'm too cold..." (Uhm, doesn't that happen to most people when they're cold? Is it really a 'condition' if it's just the human condition?)
Thankfully, C, who was my supervisor at the time, coaxes him into conversation with her, with a swift, "Actually, we just turned up the heat a couple of degrees before you came and spoke with us." I take the hint and begin offering help to the next customer in line. C gets him over to the far end of the counter, out of my way. I proceed helping customers. It takes C about 4-5 minutes to get him to leave, even after explaining that the employees need the cold or we overheat. Both of us were really hot at the time, and I was literally sweating.
Thankfully, after he left, the next customer said, "It's too cold in here," and as I replied with, "I'm pretty much dying," she assured us that it was a joke. XD She'd given me a minor heart attack, but it was still pretty funny.
Next time, I'll give the old guy the store number and tell him to bother my manager. My boss is cool, and would be totally okay shooting the old guy down about it. XD But when you're literally holding up the line to discuss that kind of issue with people you don't think have the authority to do anything about it anyway, then go away.
The only other person to complain about the temperature was a woman C and I later dubbed "The Bitter Woman," who bought a $200 coffee maker and some mugs, and was in manner and demeanor, incredibly bitter and rude.
The best part was, one of our regulars, (Nonfat Cappucino!,) a hairstylist from next door, came in to sit for about half an hour and bask in our AC. She told us that her boss hadn't turned on the AC at all that day, and the poor woman looked like she was dying. C and I both took turns telling her about Cold Old Man. XD She looked very refreshed by the time she went back to work. It was good.
I know, it doesn't sound like a big deal now, but it was very bothersome at the time... It's like, I wasn't supposed to be there anyway, it was C's 9th shift in a row without a day off, and the two of us have to put up with this crap? On the bright side, C is probably at home sleeping by now and has a day off tomorrow, and I'm only scheduled to pre-close (meaning, I leave when most of the important stuff is done but don't have to be there 'til 9). ^.^ Yay!
So today, my boss called me up (while I was asleep) at 7-8 this morning. Hey, my co-worker J is sick, could I cover closing for her tonight? Yeah, yeah, alright, I'm not about to leave the closing crew in that kind of situation. Anybody who works in any kind of food place knows why. There's only two people who close the store, but the store can't be open with just one person running it, so if I hadn't come it, they would've had to close early and get in super-trouble. So, baristagirl to the rescue! (As I am the Warrior Barista, the other half of my job is to save TD in case of evil warlord attack.)
Quick re-cap for everybody who missed my Honeyman post: I work at popular coffee place X, hereon out to be referred to as TD (for reasons discussed in Honeyman).
You all know that when you're working and moving around, you get tired, uncomfortable, and frequently hot, so we generally keep our locations cool as far as the AC goes to keep baristas from dying. You might be freezing in the cafe but I swear to you, I am sweating behind the counter.
After co-worker boyC left, I was left working just with girlC. C and I get along well, and we've been getting along better and better the more we work together, which is good. I trust her judgement on things. So, when an elderly couple walk in, I listen to what she says about them under her breath to me, before they order anything. "The wife is really sweet, but the old man is a complete and total grouch."
The old woman orders a coffee, which we get for her, being as nice as we can, while the man waits in the cafe. She mentions it's a little cold in the place, so we turned it up a couple of degrees for her. She pays, is nice, (but leaves no tip,) and goes on her merry way. I serve another customer. The man seemingly waits in line, but begins to read a newspaper. When I'm done serving that customer, I wait patiently, smiling at the old man until he puts down the newspaper and walks out. Okay, fine, be that way, no big. I'd expected worse from him, so, small favors. But, clearly, this is not the end of my tale.
I proceed with a few minor cleaning errands and when I hear the door open again, I look up, and who is it but the old man. I meet him at the register with my trademark smile and ask him how I can help him today.
He enters into a rant. "I know you can't do anything about this, and I know it might not be your fault, but you really should talk to your manager, you're losing money, you're losing money through a business expense..." So he drags on for about a minute without really getting to a point.
I eventually try to speed him along. "What seems to be the problem? How are we 'losing money', exactly?"
"It's too cold in here. You're wasting money on air conditioning when it's too cold in here," at this point, C has come over to listen as well, as a line has formed behind him, "It's too cold in here, especially for us older folks. I have a condition that makes my fingers turn white when I'm too cold..." (Uhm, doesn't that happen to most people when they're cold? Is it really a 'condition' if it's just the human condition?)
Thankfully, C, who was my supervisor at the time, coaxes him into conversation with her, with a swift, "Actually, we just turned up the heat a couple of degrees before you came and spoke with us." I take the hint and begin offering help to the next customer in line. C gets him over to the far end of the counter, out of my way. I proceed helping customers. It takes C about 4-5 minutes to get him to leave, even after explaining that the employees need the cold or we overheat. Both of us were really hot at the time, and I was literally sweating.
Thankfully, after he left, the next customer said, "It's too cold in here," and as I replied with, "I'm pretty much dying," she assured us that it was a joke. XD She'd given me a minor heart attack, but it was still pretty funny.
Next time, I'll give the old guy the store number and tell him to bother my manager. My boss is cool, and would be totally okay shooting the old guy down about it. XD But when you're literally holding up the line to discuss that kind of issue with people you don't think have the authority to do anything about it anyway, then go away.
The only other person to complain about the temperature was a woman C and I later dubbed "The Bitter Woman," who bought a $200 coffee maker and some mugs, and was in manner and demeanor, incredibly bitter and rude.
The best part was, one of our regulars, (Nonfat Cappucino!,) a hairstylist from next door, came in to sit for about half an hour and bask in our AC. She told us that her boss hadn't turned on the AC at all that day, and the poor woman looked like she was dying. C and I both took turns telling her about Cold Old Man. XD She looked very refreshed by the time she went back to work. It was good.
I know, it doesn't sound like a big deal now, but it was very bothersome at the time... It's like, I wasn't supposed to be there anyway, it was C's 9th shift in a row without a day off, and the two of us have to put up with this crap? On the bright side, C is probably at home sleeping by now and has a day off tomorrow, and I'm only scheduled to pre-close (meaning, I leave when most of the important stuff is done but don't have to be there 'til 9). ^.^ Yay!
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